Maverick Flowers

That raises serious issues: unauthorized charitable solicitation, donor confusion, and brand misuse.

If your organization (or a client’s) shows up on a platform you didn’t authorize, it’s worth acting quickly.

#Nonprofits #CharitableGiving #Fundraising #Charities #GoFundMe

GoFundMe created 1.4M donation pages for nonprofits; some Bay Area organizations had no clue "Why didn't they consult me?" said one man, who discovered unauthorized 'pre-made' GoFundMe pages for two of the organizations he helps to run.

🚨 Nonprofits — check GoFundMe.

Recent reports show the platform created over 1.4 million fundraising pages for U.S. nonprofits without their consent. Many organizations only found out when donors asked if the pages were real.

7/✅ Final Thought:
Harvard will likely survive this intact.
But smaller, less-prepared organizations might not.
The Illegality Doctrine may not bring down Harvard, but it’s still a very real framework nonprofits must respect.

#NonprofitLaw #Harvard #DEI #HigherEducation

6/🔍 What nonprofits should do now:

Review advocacy, political activity, and policy positions

Ensure governance is rock-solid

Train boards on legal risk—not just optics

501(c)(3) status isn’t just about mission. It’s about compliance.

5/🤔 So why does this matter?

Because legal theory ≠ legal outcome, but it can still cause serious reputational damage.

Public scrutiny and regulatory interest are rising—and the IRS is under political pressure.

You don’t want to be the test case.

4/👩‍⚖️ Here’s why:

✅ Harvard hasn’t been found in violation of any federal law
✅ No court has determined it acted against public policy
✅ The facts are highly distinguishable from Bob Jones or 80-278
Any revocation would almost certainly be appealed—and likely reversed.

3/📚 Enter Rev. Rul. 80-278

This IRS ruling confirmed:
Even a charitable purpose is not enough if the organization’s operations include illegal activity.

So: Could the IRS apply this to Harvard? In theory—yes.

In practice—very unlikely.

2/⚖️ First: What is the Illegality Doctrine?
A nonprofit can lose tax-exempt status if it violates the law or fundamental public policy.
It’s rare, but real.

Think Bob Jones Univ. v. United States (1983)—when SCOTUS upheld revocation based on racially discriminatory policies.

1/📣
The IRS may be pressured to challenge Harvard’s 501(c)(3) status—but don’t expect them to win.
That said, every nonprofit/tax-exempt organization should watch closely.

Let’s talk about the Illegality Doctrine, Rev. Rul. 80-278, and what this moment means.
👇

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🧵 Could Harvard Really Lose Its Tax-Exempt Status? Probably Not—But Here’s Why You Should Still Pay Attention
Recent headlines are questioning even Harvard’s tax-exempt status.

@nytimes.com
article:: nyti.ms/3xzwxxy

Nationwide Injunction Shuts Down Enforcement of Trump’s DEI Executive Orders | JD Supra On February 21, 2025, a federal district court judge issued a nationwide preliminary injunction that blocks enforcement of three major provisions of...

With lawsuits also filed in Illinois, California, and D.C., this fight is heating up. What do you think—where does DEI stand in 2025?

📖 Read more here: www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/na...

#DEI #LegalNews #FreeSpeech #DiversityMatters #EqualOpportunity #WorkplaceEquity

The court ruled these provisions likely violate the First Amendment—and Trump’s request for a stay was DENIED. Meanwhile, Perkins Coie just secured a temporary restraining order against another Trump EO targeting DEI in law firms.

The ruling stops:

❌ Defunding DEI grants & contracts
❌ Forcing contractors to abandon DEI policies
❌ Government investigations into workplace DEI

🚨 Federal Courts Strike Down Trump’s Anti-DEI Orders 🚨

A federal judge just blocked key provisions of Trump’s executive orders aimed at eliminating diversity initiatives.

Check out our latest alert regarding DEI Excutive Orders and Related Litigation.

#DEI #ExecutiveOrders #Nonprofits

Gulf of Distraction

Link to complaint here: www.dandodiary.com/wp-content/u...

4/ If the lawsuit moves forward, organizations may face increased scrutiny over diversity-focused funding and eligibility criteria. #Scholarships #Nonprofits #Diversity #LegalNews #EqualRights #CorporateGiving #DEI

3/ This case could set a major precedent, impacting nonprofit and tax-exempt organizations with identity-based scholarship programs.

2/ McDonald’s helped set the program criteria, while International Scholarship & Tuition Services (ISTS) administers it. Both McDonald's and ISTS are named in the case.

🚨 Lawsuit Against McDonald's: What It Means for Scholarships & Diversity Initiatives 🚨

1/ A lawsuit has been filed against McDonald's over its scholarship program for students with "at least one parent of Hispanic/Latino heritage," claiming it violates civil rights laws.

The Southern Christian Coalition asks “If @GovBillLee’s vouchers are so popular, why the need for a special session and tying it to judicial relief?” 🤔 🎯 #LeesVoucherScam

Pennsylvania AG argues Temple should win bid for UArts building Attorney General Michelle Henry said Temple University's bid should take priority over a $6.5 million offer from a Philadelphia real estate developer.

Courts will weigh financial value vs. charitable use of assets.

#NonprofitLaw #HigherEducation #AssetSales #Bankruptcy #CharitablePurpose

Link to article here: www.highereddive.com/news/temple-...

for $300k less to ensure its continued charitable use.

Key takeaways:
Sale proceeds (beyond paying creditors) must align with the nonprofit's charitable mission.

Nonprofits need to ensure asset sales comply with their dissolution clauses.

A Pennsylvania case involving the University of the Arts highlights the complexities of nonprofit asset sales during bankruptcy. After a developer made the highest bid for one of its buildings, the PA Attorney General objected, arguing the property should be sold to Temple University

I have been saying for years, but blue state Congressmen and Senators need to play into the GOP game of cutting federal taxes and programs and keeping more of their money themselves instead of giving it to these dependent red states.

paulkrugman.substack.com/p/in-praise-of…

In Praise of California It has its flaws — what place doesn’t? — but it plays a big role in America’s greatness

"California paid in a lot more [to the federal government] than it got back — $83 billion in total. So did Washington state and much of the Northeast. Most red states were in the reverse position, getting much more from DC than they paid in return."

Link to Copy of Motion here: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...

This raises key questions for the tech and non-profit sectors: How should mission-driven organizations balance innovation and accountability?

#ArtificialIntelligence #OpenAI #NonProfitLeadership #TechEthics #CorporateGovernance #ElonMusk
#AIRegulation
#ExemptOrganizations #LegalUpdate

🚨 OpenAI: Non-Profit to For-Profit Controversy 🚨

Elon Musk has filed an injunction against OpenAI, citing:

• Alleged breaches of its charitable mission and donor terms.
• Claims of anticompetitive practices and self-dealing.
• A demand to halt its for-profit conversion.